System, method and device for initiating actions for mobile devices prior to a mobile user entering problem zones

• US 9,247,523 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bhatia, Lalit Tulsidas, Poffenberger, Michael Lee, Gravino, Douglas David, Gopinath, Radhakrishnan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nealon, William
• Application Number:
  US13/831,643
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.5, 4554141-4143, 455/422.1, 455/432.1, 455/452.2, 707/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

Initiating actions for mobile devices prior to a mobile user entering problem zones. A position and a route of a user are identified. A database is accessed to retrieve data identifying problem zones in a communications network. The position and route of the user are compared to the retrieve data identifying problem zones. A determination is made to identify when the user is approaching a problem zones. An action is performed to compensate for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone when the user enters the problem zone.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a mobile device for using specific knowledge about network conditions to initiate an action before problem zones are encountered, comprising:

identifying a position and a route of a user;

accessing a database to retrieve data identifying problem zones in a communications network, the problem zones including areas with network congestion and areas only serviced by another communications network operator;

comparing the position and route of the user to retrieve data identifying problem zones;

determining when the user is approaching a problem zone representing a roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator;

in response to determining the user is approaching the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator, determining an expected period of time that the user will be in the problem zone based on the position, the route of the user, a speed of the user, and a distance of the problem zone, and the user receiving a notice prior to entering the problem zone that the user will be encountering the problem zone wherein the notice indicates to the user that a predetermined amount of data will be buffered prior to entering the problem zone that corresponds with the expected period of time the user will be in the problem zone; and

in response to determining an expected period of time that the user will be in the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator, compensating for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone for the expected period of time when the user enters the problem zone and negating the necessity for data from the other communications network provider while in the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensating for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone comprises the mobile device pre-fetching a sufficient quantity of data for consumption by the user while in the problem zone.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-fetching a sufficient quantity of data for consumption by the user while in the problem zone comprises pre-fetching media data based on an expected period of time the user will be in the problem zone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-fetching a sufficient quantity of data for consumption by the user while in the problem zone comprises pre-fetching map data based on an expected period of time the user will be in the problem zone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensating for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone comprises providing an in-call voice warning in response to determining the user is approaching a problem zone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the compensating for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone comprises auto-saving cloud-based documents being edited by the user prior to reaching the problem zone.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the accessing a database to retrieve data identifying problem zones in a communications network comprises accessing a database of a network operator.

19. The method of claim 5, further comprising the user being on a telephone call while then receiving the in-call voice warning upon determining the user is approaching a problem zone, wherein the in-call voice warning is received prior to the user entering the problem zone so that the mobile device may receive a sufficient quantity of data for consumption by the user while in the problem zone.

8. A system for initiating an action for a mobile device prior to a mobile user entering a problem zone, comprising:

a network and a plurality of coverage areas, wherein at least one of the plurality of coverage areas comprises a problem zone representing a roaming area serviced by another network;

a database storing coverage map data, wherein the coverage map data includes identification of a location of the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other network;

a device for comparing a current position, a planned route and a calculated speed of a user to the location of the problem zone and, based on the comparison and determining the user is approaching the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other network, determining a time period the user will be located in the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other network; and

a server for initiating an action in response to determining the user is approaching the problem zone to compensate for the problem zone for the expected period of time when the user enters the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other network and for negating the necessity for data from the other communications network provider while in the roaming area serviced by the other network, and in response to determining the user is approaching the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator, the server sends a notice to the user prior to the user entering the problem zone that the user will be encountering the problem zone wherein the notice indicates to the user that a predetermined amount of data will be buffered prior to the user entering the problem zone that corresponds with the time period the user will be in the problem zone.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the database is provided by a first network operator maintaining the network.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein a streaming service provider accesses the database provided by the first network operator.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the device further accessing the database to obtain the identification of the location of the problem zone, identifying a current position of a user within the network, identifying a planned route of the user, and determining a speed of the user along the planned route.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the server initiates the action to compensate for the problem zone by pre-fetching a sufficient quantity of data for consumption by the user while in the problem zone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data pre-fetched by the server comprises media data.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data pre-fetched by the server comprises map data.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the server initiates the action to compensate for the problem zone by providing an in-call voice warning upon determining the user is approaching a problem zone.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the server initiates the action to compensate for the problem zone by auto-saving cloud-based documents being edited by the user prior to reaching the problem zone.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the device obtains current location of a user using standard location-determining methods.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, initiates an action for a mobile device prior to a mobile user entering a problem zone, by:

identifying a position and a route of a user;

accessing a database to retrieve data identifying problem zones in a communications network, the problem zones including areas with network congestion and areas only serviced by another communications network operator;

comparing the position and route of the user to the retrieve data identifying problem zones;

determining when the user is approaching a problem zone representing a roaming area serviced by another communications network operator;

in response to determining the user is approaching the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator, determining an expected period of time that the user will be in the problem zone based on the position of the user, the route of the user, a speed and a distance of the problem zone, and the user receiving a notice prior to entering the problem zone that the user will be encountering the problem zone wherein the notice indicates to the user that a predetermined amount of data will be buffered prior to the user entering the problem zone that corresponds with the expected period of time the user will be in the problem zone; and

in response to determining an expected period of time that the user will be in the problem zone representing the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator, compensating for unfavorable network conditions of the problem zone for the expected period of time when the user enters the problem zone and negating the necessity for data from the other communications network provider while in the roaming area serviced by the other communications network operator.